VA Coronavirus Cases Up By 1,127, Highest Daily Increase In July

VIRGINIA — The Virginia Department of Health reported 1,127 additional coronavirus cases Friday, representing the highest daily increase in July. Northern Virginia, the state's most populous region, accounted for just 203 of these new cases. The latest cumulative totals statewide are 82,364 cases, 7,515 hospitalizations and 2,067 deaths.

Although Friday represented a July record for new cases, it wasn't the highest daily increase Virginia has experienced throughout the pandemic. The 1,615 cases reported on May 26 was the highest daily increase, followed by 1,483 on May 25 and 1,284 on June 7.

The 7-day moving average of new cases has not quite reached 1,000 as the average started to trend upward on July 7. The average is 990 cases, compared to 534 a month ago on June 24. The increase of the 7-day moving average comes after the average decreased in the first half of June and stabilized in the second half.

The 7-day average of deaths, however, is less than half of the average at the start of July. The latest average is 7.7 deaths, compared to a monthly peak of 20.3 deaths on July 3. The peak average throughout the pandemic had been 34.1 deaths on May 28. There were 13 new deaths reported on Friday, including four in Northern Virginia.

The statewide 7-day average of positive nasal swab tests is slightly down from 7.7 percent to 7.5 percent as of July 20. Northern Virginia's average remains lower at 6 percent. Across Virginia, 987,188 nasal swab tests completed as of Friday, an increase of 18,043 tests from Thursday.

Current hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients increased from 1,218 to 1,250 on Friday, according to Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association data. There have been 10,576 COVID-19 patients discharged, up from 10,479 on Thursday.

The COVID-19 hospitalizations include 142 on ventilators and 274 in the intensive care units. Ventilator use is at 21 percent statewide, with hospital patients using 635 of 3,077 available ventilators. ICU occupancy stands at 77 percent among all hospital patients; the statewide average in 2019 was 67 percent.

One hospital is reporting difficulty obtaining personal protective gear in the next 72 hours, as reported by the association on Thursday.

Here are the latest case updates for our coverage areas from Thursday to Friday:

• Alexandria: 2,662 cases, 262 hospitalizations, 56 deaths; increase of 23 cases and six hospitalizations
• Arlington County: 2,783 cases, 431 hospitalizations, 135 deaths; increase of seven cases
• Fairfax County: 15,231 cases, 1,837 hospitalizations, 513 deaths; increase of 105 cases, 40 hospitalization and two deaths
• Fairfax City: 73 cases, nine hospitalizations, seven deaths; one case removed
• Falls Church: 55 cases, 10 hospitalizations, six deaths; no change
• Loudoun County: 4,769 cases, 326 hospitalizations, 106 deaths; increase of 11 cases and one hospitalization
• Manassas: 1,559 cases, 117 hospitalizations, 20 deaths; increase of six cases
• Manassas Park: 482 cases, 49 hospitalizations, seven deaths; increase of three cases
• Prince William County: 8,370 cases, 762 hospitalizations, 167 deaths; increase of 49 cases, four hospitalizations and two deaths
• Fredericksburg: 312 cases, 31 hospitalizations, one death; increase of four cases
• Spotsylvania County: 1,213 cases, 87 hospitalizations, 33 deaths; increase of one case
• Stafford County: 1,169 cases, 111 hospitalizations, seven deaths; increase of six cases

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